Ornamentation of bricks and tiles



NITED STATES i ATENT FFICE.

- JAMES (3. ANDERSON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

ORNAMENTATION OF BRICKS AND TILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,505, datedSeptember 19, 1882,

Application filed May 13, 1882. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Ornamentationof Bricks and Tiles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanyingdrawin gs, and to the letters andfigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to the ornamentation of bricks and tiles, and hasfor its object the production of such articles with highly-ornamentalsurface or surfaces in imitation of mosaic, regular, or irregulardesigns, plants, leaves, flowers, 850., in a cheap and durable manner.

My invention consists broadly in the application of metallic or othervitrifiable colors to the brick or tile in such a manner that saidcolors form a part of the body of the brick, or, in other words, arepressed into the clay at the time the brick or tile is formed in themold.

In carrying out my invention, I spread or print the coloring-matter ofany desired figure or design, and of any desired color or combination ofcolors, on paper or .other suitable material, which will be consumed inthe firing and burning of the brick or tile and leave thecoloring-matter in place on the article. The pieces of paper or othermaterial having the design printed, stenciled, or otherwise placedthereon in sufficient quantities to form a body are placed upon thelower die-matrix, or in the bottom of the mold used for forming ormolding the brick or" tile, with the decorated or printed side upward,the paper being next to the die-matrix or bottom of the mold. The moldis then filled with the clay-powder or tempered clay, and pressureapplied in the usual way. By molding the articles in this way thecoloring-matter is embedded into the surface of the brick, andpractically forms an inlay of the decoration, which inlay of coloring isforced into close unison with the clay, the powdered atoms of the claybeing practically driven into the coloring-matter, so as to interlockwith it, and when the ordinary burning process of the brick, tiles,850., takes place the colors are fused, combined, and fixed in the mosteffectual manner, being, in fact, one solid body, while the paper orother body to which the colors were originally applied has been consumedin the firing.

I have already spoken of paper as an example of the material on whichthe colors are printed; but I do not wish to confine myself in thisparticular, for I use leaves, plants,&c., to receive the body of color;or the leaves, plants, &c., may be saturated or permeated with thecoloring-matter in a liquid or semi-liquid state, the pores and surfacebeing filled or covered with the desired color to represent the leaf,plant, &c., as it is in a state of nature or invaried and differentcolors.

It will be understood that the coloring-matter is applied to the paper,plants, leaves, 850., in such quantities as will form a substantial bodywhen it is allowed to dry and become hard, so that when the clay whichforms the body of the brick or tile is poured in on the coloring-matterit will not be disturbed or injured thereby.

I may find it expedient and desirable to incorporate in thecoloring-matter resinous or other material,so as to harden or give bodyto the coloring-matter, and then spin or mold such material into thedesired forms, which can be placed in the mold and embedded in thearticle without the use of the paper or other backing; or I may coatsheets of paper or other backin g with the coloring-matter, and cuttherefrom pieces of the desired configuration.

As before mentioned, the coloring-matter must be composed of themetallic oxides or such refractory fusible colors as will not be burnedout in the firing, but will be vitrified; also, will present clear-cutand well-defined lines embedded in the face of the article, which willbe readily distinguishable from articles decorated by hand upon thesurface,or articles 5 IOO dering such colors or decorations permanentand indelible, and presenting a smooth, even surface.

The top die-matrix may be used for pressing in the color; but this wouldrender a second operation of the plunger necessary, and auniform productcould not be so readily made; but by placing the design on the lowermatrix or bottom of the mold the product can be made cheaper and better.In someinstances it may be desirable to have the articles ornamented ontwo sides, and when this is required the ornamental design is placedboth in the lower and upper matrix of the mold.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. The method herein described of ornamenting bricks, tiles, &c., byembeddinginto the same an ornamental body of vitrifiable colors duringthe operation of forming such article.

\2. The method herein described of ornamenting bricks, tiles, &c., thesame consisting in applying metallic oxides or vitritiable colors topaper, plants, leaves or other inflammable material in the requireddesign, placing said design in the mold, then filling in the clay andapplying the requisite pressure to form the brick and embed the designtherein, then burning the articles thus formed, in the usual manner, asset forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a brick or tile having thecharacteristics described, the same consisting in having a body ofvitrifiable or other coloring matter forming the ornament or designembedded therein and forming a part thereof, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. O. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

LILLIE E. ANDERSON, W. II. GRUMLEY.

